Oddness
by LeperDoctor
Summary: Based very loosely on the series. Names of butchered characters have been changed to protect myself from hardcore fans, but mostly centered around Jack.
1. Chapter 1: Upheavel

I enjoy Xiaolin Showdown very much, but the problem is, I don't believe I've seen enough of it to write a proper fanfic of it. However, I was in the mood to write, and I had all these concepts buzzing around in my head...  
So hardcore fans, if my story offends you, I apologize. I was only having some fun, and trying to figure out how to use this site. On that note, please excuse any horrific spelling errors you may or may not find.

* * *

I had been living life normally. What more could be said for a boy-genius tempted by the seductive lure of evil at the young and tender age that I was? I had my old and gothic castle, all wired with magical traps and other necessities to indicate if the good-two shoes were within range, or if an intruder had entered; I had my Construct army for protection whenever battle was necessary (which it usually was, and I hated getting my hands dirty); I had the Artifacts which I had stolen from the High-and-Mighty's down in the Temple on the other side of the forest my castle was within. And I had a good life.

Every once in a while, an Artifact would reveal itself. I had an Artifact- more a family heirloom, one could say- that showed me whenever an Artifact revealed itself. It also pointed me in the right direction, but it could take several hours to find it, even with the information. Unfortunately, the 'Chosen' ones also had an indicator of sorts that led them to the newly revealed Artifact. Unlike mine, their Artifact-finder was an actual dragon, the Guardian of their Temple. Well, the Guardian's son, at any rate; the snake-like dragon wasn't particularly good for fighting, which was fine for me. The Good-two Shoes army was more than enough of a problem to deal with, loathe as I was to admit it.

In all the races to find the Artifacts and vanish into our respective territories, we had each done alright. I think they had more Artifacts than I did (well, 'know' was the better adjective; I kept a tally in one of my magical devices, so I knew for a fact that they outnumbered me in an annoying ratio of 3:1). Nonetheless, I was always pleased with my respective cache of goodies. The Artifacts I had managed to hoarde over time were very nice, indeed.

That was my life. Claiming Artifacts, trading insults and threats with the Chosen ones from the Temple whenever a victor had been declared in one of our skirmishes, building and advancing my magical abilities, so on and so forth. What a wondrous life. And one day, it simply shattered.

I wasn't sure what was happening at first, but it started when the perimeter alarms suddenly went off. I had been relaxing, so I ignored them at first; after all, I had traps aplenty that could take care of whatever was trying to sneak into my castle. However, when all the globes surrounding my cot also began to go off, I became slightly irked. What exactly was daring to enter my keep? I looked up the presence in my scrying pool, and was startled to discover the Acolytes from the Temple, scaling my walls and dashing through the grounds, disabling the traps and smashing the Constructs I had developed to protect me.

I was indignant. Did they really think they could steal the Artifacts I had rightly stolen? Salami! So, after I sent my Constructs out to destroy them, I was startled by another discovery. As more and more magical globes lit up to indicate intruders, more and more Acolytes appeared in the pool. Not only the trainees, but the highly-experienced ones as well. And not only those two, but every stage of training in between. What was going on here? It was a full-scale assault on my castle by the entire population of the Temple!

By this time, they had already made it to the storage area where I kept my Artifacts. I was about to go and gather up the Artifacts so that I could run with them, but the pool revealed that they had already been overtaken. Cursing, I realized the only Artifact I had now was the one I had accidentally embedded in my back, and the one that allowed me to find other Artifacts. I would be able to steal mine and more back eventually, I decided. But first, I had to flee, before they decided to take the two remaining Artifacts in my possession.

So I fled. And even that wasn't enough.

Foolishly, I went to the top of the cliff overlooking my Castle to watch it being ransacked. I was unsettled, because the Temple had never done something of this magnitude, not even when I stole into their Temple to do away with three of their own Artifacts. They had attacked, reclaimed one of the three which I had stolen, and left when my Constructs beat them back. But then again, there had only been a small number of Acolytes fighting for the Temple. Now, the entire Temple was fighting for the Temple.

I watched, trying to figure out what I had done to instigate their fury. And as I watched, I also felt myself being watched. The cliffs I had positioned myself on were high, treacherous, not even spanning paths for the full distance to reach my position. The only way to reach this spot, I had always thought, was by the same way I reached it; by flying. But it seems that when the Temple wished to go somewhere, the boundaries of gravity would not sway them.

I looked behind me, half-expecting to see nothing, because there should have been nothing. Instead, I was shocked to find three of the highest ranking Acolytes standing there, examining me partly with disgust and partly with arrogance.

"What, not invited to the party down there?" I taunted, motioning to my Castle. "You should join in- everyone else seems to be having fun destroying my home." Even as I spoke, I turned to face them and moved backwards, to the edge of the cliff, preparing to fly hard so that I could leave this place when the opportunity presented itself.

"You have to come with us." The middle one said, holding out his hand like an offering. "It can be by your actions or by ours. Either way, you're coming with us."

"I am?" I said, feigning shock. "And here I thought I was going _this-a-way!_" With the last made-up word, I flung myself from the cliffs, spreading my wings and laughing as I anticipated their shocked expressions at my apparent suicide. Instead, my laughter was drowned out by a titanic gust of wind that halted my progress and began pushing me backwards, towards the cliff I had just been crouched upon. I struggled like a gosling before the winds tumbled me end over end and deposited me unceremoniously on the ground before the Acolytes. I was so startled and dizzy that at first I didn't move and sat there with a shocked expression on my face. That was all the time the Acolytes needed to surround and seize me. In an instant I exploded in a flurry of kicks and punches, squirming so that even the strongest of the three had difficulty maintaining a grip on my twisting body. The largest one, whom I never bothered to learn the name of, simply punched me in the gut when it seemed apparent that I wasn't going to settle down.

The breath exploded from my lungs and I instantly quieted as they picked me up, using their own Artifacts to bring us all down the side of the mountain, where their primitive means of transportation- a number of horses, one for each member of the Temple and an extra one for me- awaited. Without bothering to wait for any of their other team mates to return to the tethered animals, they sat me in a saddle with a blanket tied several times around my body to keep my wings from functioning. One of the females jumped on behind me, both to steer the horse and to either keep from escaping or falling off. And then we left, at full speed.

I taunted them for the entire time it took for us to arrive at their Temple. "You're not getting it," I said. "Even if you ripped it out of my back, the Artifact will stay in this form for another hundred or more years. It'll be useless to you; I'm the only one who can make proper use of it."

One of the Acolytes gave me a sharp look. "We can turn that Artifact back to its original form if we so chose to."

"Then why not do it?" I demanded. "Or maybe you're hoping I'll help you use the other Artifact you pocketed when you tied me up. What's the matter, did you pet dragon keel over and die? Is that why you need my Artifact?"

"Sarren-du is not dead," was the only answer I received this time.

"Then why all the heavy cavalry?" I demanded, squirming in the saddle. This was a rather uncomfortable way to travel. "What, you needed your trainee-toddlers to help you out? The state of you Temple must really be failing if you can't even reclaim a few Artifacts all by yourself!"

This time, the only answer was the hoof beats and panting of the horses. I continued to taunt, digging for the reason of my capture. I had been captured before, escaping both times (though I knew that it was only because they allowed me to leave), but it was so that I could help them unlock some form of secret to stop another evil presence from appearing. I had helped, not because I was afraid of evil, but because I didn't want competition in the ways of the Artifacts. The Temple brats were annoying enough to contend with without having to worry about some omnipitant evil lurking about.

We reached the Temple within several hours, and I could barely walk when they finally lifted me out of the saddle and led me towards the insides of the Temple. I could tell they were keeping their stoic faces with difficulty, as I was stumbling about and cursing profusely. Any discomfort on my part caused them humour, regardless of their status.

At length I was led into the main room and forced to my knees in front of the raised platform and throne of the only other occupant of the room. The Acolytes kneeled on either side of me, keeping hands on my shoulders to stop me from standing up. Their touch was annoying because I wasn't planning on standing anytime soon. Not that I had any respect for the old man now regarding me with the calculating expression; it was just that I didn't feel like standing on my sore legs.

"Hey, its King Tusk!" I exclaimed in response to the silence. Tusk was a self-proclaimed king of old who believed himself to be priceless, while the villagers he commanded knew him to be an old, mouthy fraud.

I found no purchase from my taunt; instead, the man continued to stare me down. I took the time to look around to see if anything had changed. Seeing nothing much and becoming quickly bored with the silence, I looked back at the old man. "Do I have something on my face?" I snapped.

The man shook his head. "Do you realize why you are here?" he asked.

"Want me to save you and the rest of the world from imminent destruction again?" I guessed. "Well, you can _forget it!_ The last I saw of your rats, they were trashing my abode, so you can take any notion of _me_ helping _you_ and shove it."

I felt the Acolytes on either side of me tensing. Whether it was from anger at my attitude, or fear for what the geezer would do, I hadn't the slightest. All I knew was that his brow knitted a little in response to my answer.

"A new Artifact has revealed itself to us," he said.

"Kind of off-topic, isn't it?" I demanded.

"No..." He answered. Closing his eyes briefly, he continued, "It is the reason for you being here. This new Artifact has a sister, which is in our possession. Their functions are similar; they both indicate the child in the prophecy. Kalliklick, Cappe, bring him with us; he will be shown the Ribbed Necklace."

I was lifted to my feet and led behind the old man as he walked out of the room, his two Acolytes following obediently behind. Like a pack of puppies, I thought.

I was led down several levels to where all of the Artifacts of the Temple were being stored. I was rather shocked at this. Even before, when they enlisted me to aid them, had I not been shown this chamber. The old man tapped a code on the wall, and I strained to memorize the position of his knocking. The ground beneath us pulled back into the wall, and I was startled to find my feet lacking any purchase. I struggled to free my wings in a moment of blind panic before I realized that I was not falling, but rather floating, with the other three occupants of the room, into the secret chamber below. I was interested to see all the Artifacts carefully displayed on pedestals; once I got out of here, this would be like stealing candy from a baby. If I could remember the code.

"Here is the Ribbed Necklace," the old man said, indicating a floating necklace made up of fine bones that curved into sharp, needle-like points. A sapphire gem was embedded in the center of the necklace, and it sparkled maddeningly when the old man motioned to it. "This is the Artifact."

"Whoop-dee-do," I answered. "Can you hurry up? It's almost time for my nap, and I develop a rather cranky attitude when I miss that."

The old man's eyes narrowed. "Very well. I will summarize. The prophecy was created by a Seer over three thousand years ago. The Seer recorded that there would be a child born that was a changeling to the side he chose; he was neither purely evil, nor was he purely good. The prophecy indicated this child would eventually come to develop grand powers, powers so potent and dangerous that they could be used to plunge the world into a lasting era of good- or evil. The only determining factor would be the side he was kept from; kept from evil, he would do no evil. Kept from good, he would do no good. The Seer enlisted the help of the ancients to develop two Artifacts- one for the Servants of our Gods, and one for the Demons of Hell. These Artifacts would find the child, and pick him out of the millions of children available."

"Boooooring," I groaned. "Do you have any food? I think I need something to keep myself awake."

Ignoring my insolence, the old man lifted the Artifact from the pedestal. "My apprentices and you fought over this a short time ago," he said, examining the necklace for a moment. "Inadvertently, they activated its power."

I remembered that. This one must have been the last Artifact we had fought over. In their attempt to keep me from it, they actually turned its magic against me. I thought it was rather useless when I was hit with a blast of colours, and nothing happened. That's when I decided to let them keep in, and return home. What's the point in having a magically glorified paint can?

"My apprentices did not know what power this Artifact had. When they brought it to me and explained what had happened, I was also confused. I only knew the answer when I consulted the archives. The power of the Ribbed Necklace is to highlight the child of the prophecy the Seer had recorded all those years ago; and the child the Necklace highlighted was you."

"Child? I'm a little old for you to be calling me that," I corrected.

"You are a child because you have not learned the proper wisdom to accommodate whatever age you are now," one of the Acolytes explained.

"Wasn't asking your opinion," I snapped.

The old man shook his head. "Regardless, one fact remains. You are the chosen one; the Ribbed Necklace has shown this to be true."

There was a silence in which I looked from one of them to the other. Finally, I said, "So?"

The old man seemed even more irritated than before. For the third time, he said, "You are the child of the prophecy."

"Like I care about some crazy old man who actually recorded his craziness," I said. "Can I go now? I have to put my castle back together, because you 'good' people here decided to use everything within as target practice."

"You cannot leave."

I was startled at first, but then I laughed. "Says you, who happens to _not_ be the boss of me."

"You cannot leave."

It was the tone this time that caused my secondary startlement. It was a voice that had written it in stone for all to read and agree with, and for no one to disagree with.

"So what, I stay here and do...what?" I demanded. "Become one of the slaves of your God so I can spend the rest of my life worshipping?"

"You will learn of our _Gods_, yes, and more of the things that my apprentices are learning. It will be part of the educational process, and your rehabilitation."

I let out a barking laugh. "Educational process? Rehabilitation? I don't want to learn anything you have to teach, and I certainly don't need to be rehabilitated! You fool," I spat. "If you think you can actually keep me here, you're wrong."

"As much as I wish I did not have to do this," the man said, "I have no choice. In order to keep the world from plunging into an age of darkness, you have to be away from the forces of evil you had formerly associated yourself with. This will save everyone from the doom which the future represents."

"So what, I get to be locked in a cell while you brainwash me!"

"No- you will be given a room like all the other apprentices, and you will learn in the same way that they are learning."

"You can't keep me here," I said flatly. "You can't watch me every moment of every day. The instant you turn your back, I'll be gone, flying home. And this time, the traps I set will be lethal. No more mister nice-guy from me."

The old man sighed. "For the night, you can sleep in the cell near the guard tower, so you will not run from this course of fate. And, for every misbehaviour you undergo, you can sleep in the cell again."

"Bite me," I snarled, kicking at one of the apprentices. "Fool of an old man- you can't control me! Nobody can!"

But we all floated back into the room above, and then I was taken out of the building and to another one next to one of the towers, where a bed and a tray of food waited for me behind cold, iron bars. I resolved to go in quietly and simply leave in the dead of night, but I was delivered a killing blow.

The old man had accompanied us, it seemed, because he motioned to me before the cell door could be unlocked. "Remove his belt."

My eyes went wide. My belt, of course, had an array of multi-coloured stones, embedded in the leather for the entire circumference. They were how I focused my magic; without them, I couldn't even access my powers.

_"Don't touch me!"_ I shouted even as they struggled to unwrap the blanket and hold onto me at the same time. I went down in a tumble with the two apprentices on top of me, before the bigger one easily pinned me down and the female undid my belt, stepping back with it hanging over her arm.

I struggled in vain, but the muscle-bound slave simply waited for me to tire out before grabbing my shoulders, pulling me up, and shoving me into the cell. I stumbled forward, momentarily forgetting how much the belt weighed and how much lighter I was without it around my waist. I turned around to glower at the three occupants of the room, clenching and unclenching my hands by my sides and envisioning horrible fates for the lot of them and their half-cracked temple, as well.

"Your training begins in the morning," The old man said. "And from now on, you will refer to me as Master Yushi-Seck. That is the first rule for you to learn; other rules will be taught to you in the morning, when the Temple awakens. Until then, you may sleep and eat to regain your strength. It has been a long day."

"You can't keep me here," I said even as they turned to leave. "Do you think I'll be a good slave and work on your side just because you threw me in a cell? You can't keep me here- I won't do what you say. I don't listen to anyone, especially elemental has-beens like you. Do you hear me? _You can't control me!"_

The door closed behind them, and I heard it clicking. I began pacing in my cell, staring at the door with every turn. I was locked in a cell with metal bars, located...where? Near the guard tower. And the door to this building, which didn't have very many other cells (odd enough they had any, considering this place was supposed to be a temple), was also locked. So...what?

I began testing the bars, one by one, for weakness. When none of them showed any promise, I searched the rest of the cell, running my hands over the smooth wooden planks with disgust. Wood was temporary; it would rot. Why make something out of wood when you could easily make it out of stone and have it last twice as long, easily?

There were no loose boards, either. I checked the rest of the cell, but it was as I first saw it; a bed in one corner with a tray of food waiting on it. Nothing else.

I plodded over to the tray of food, wondering and hoping there was something good to eat. I was starved; I hadn't eaten anything since morning, because I had been involved in the creation of a newer version of the Constructs that would allow them to be stronger and have a little more intelligence than they currently had. Wrapped up in my experimentations and calculations, I had forgotten to eat lunch, or even have a snack. And now? Now, I had Temple food.

My stomach rumbled in anticipation, thinking of all the wonderful foods that I would love to have right about now. I barely looked at the plate before my nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Carrot sticks?" I said in disbelief, using a chop stick to sift through the mass of green. Lettuce, carrot sticks, apple slices, some radishes, and then rice on the side.

"What do I look like? A rabbit?" My temper guided my fist and I struck the tray, sending it flying across the room. The tray stopped and clattered to the ground when it hit the bars, but the food travelled through, splattering against the floor beyond my cell.

I snickered at the slight mess, but my good mood was instantly spoiled. I was stuck in here, with no way out, my magical belt stolen, my Artifacts claimed; worse of all, they were planning on keeping me here. With gerbil food for dinner.

I scowled and kicked at the bed, but it was little more than a cushioned mat on the floor. How was I supposed to properly express my temper when there was nothing else to break? I could throw the blankets around, but then I'd simply be gathering them up again so I could sleep. Speaking of which, that sounded like a good idea.

I laid down on the mat, but shifted half a dozen time before cursing. My cot was laden with blankets and pillows; it was the most comfortable way to sleep. And this? This was a thin sheet over a rock by comparison.

I curled up on my side, my wings laying against the floor and bent upwards against the wall. That was another advantage of my cot; my wings were easily accommodated. And here? Here, I felt like a bird that had suddenly been slammed into a cage for the amusement of someone who enjoyed my colours.

My hands remained closed into fists as I fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Decisions

Whoot! New chapter! Thanks to the two people that reviewed (Yo Fue' and MagicV). I appreciate that! I wasn't expecting any reviews for a long time actually, so I was pleasantly surprised. If you review something and it will be a while before I update, you can look at my profile for responses. If you have any suggestions or concerns, feel free to comment and witch to me about them! (bwa ha ha, I'm so pessimistic). Speaking of which, Jack is really angry in these ones...keep in mind what he just went through, though. He'll calm down into his normal self in a few days or less. And Yushi-Seck isn't in the series; I made him up, in case anyone's looking for him in the show.

* * *

It was an ungodly time the next morning when I heard the cell door rattling. I ignored it, hoping that whatever noise it was it would simply go away. I would fix it when I woke up.

Instead, something nudged my foot. I heard words, but I ignored them, simply curling up more. Something grabbed one of my feet, and I was physically dragged out of my nice dream and across a hard floor. I yelped as one of my wings caught on something, and scrabbled wildly with my hands in a sleepy haze before my foot was dropped back to the floor. I turned and saw one of the Temple fungi standing there, looking at me with a slightly smug expression. I felt a moment of panic and recoiled before everything came flashing back, along with my anger. Scowling, I stood up and brushed myself off. My head barely passed his massive shoulders height-wise, but that didn't deter me. "What's the big idea, lump-head? Ransacking my house isn't good enough for you, so you have to drag me out of bed? I guess you have to do something to make yourself adequate, huh?"

His eyes flashed mildly, but he remained otherwise calm at my attitude. Instead, he stepped aside, and I saw the female standing there. Like I saw from last night, my belt was looped casually over her arm, as if she had never removed it. I stared at the belt in disbelief, wondering why they were giving it back, before reaching for it. Instead of giving it to me, she stepped back, causing me to stumble.

"What's the big idea?" I snapped. "Give that back already!" I jumped forward, but she danced out of my reach again, somehow ending up behind me.

"You can't have that back yet."

I glowered even as the first word was spoken, and I turned to see the old man standing there, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Why not?" I demanded, standing up straight and feigning momentary disinterest in the acolyte behind me. "It belongs to me, in case you haven't noticed. You either broke or stole everything else that belongs to me, so don't you think you should at least grant me this one courtesy?"

"The Artifacts are too dangerous for a child to handle without serious consequences," the man said, unmoving. "It was a danger that they were with someone so young, especially considering they could have easily fallen into someone else's hands, someone who wouldn't hesitate to use them for their own means."

"And I wasn't?" I laughed. "Hypocrite. You really are like King Tusk, aren't you?" I suddenly whirled around and leapt at the girl, but she jumped into the air, tapped my shoulder lightly for leverage as I passed under her, and landed gracefully beside the old man. I stumbled forward before whirling around, my fists closed at my sides. "That belongs to me."

"Like the Artifacts, the items here are very dangerous. Without proper training, you could either seriously injure yourself or others."

"Well, duh, what do you think I was using it for? To plant a lollipop tree?"

"This can only be earned back once you have proven yourself worthy of its powers."

My eyes widened. "What! It belongs to me- I found each of those stones fair and square! I _made_ the belt, and I attuned everything on it to me! No one else besides me can use it, and I use it for whatever I want, because I created it to serve _me! _I shouldn't have to earn back anything that already belongs to me! What sort of crack house are you running here, anyways!"

"Trust and loyalty are two of the ways you can earn it back. But you must also learn patience-"

"Why don't you confiscate your blanket back, while you're at it?" I shouted, interrupting him. I had crossed into my cell and came back out with the thin sheet in my hands. "I might not be worthy of its ability to _strangle_ someone!" I threw it at him with that, feeling smug that he wouldn't be able to block it without some part hitting him in the face.

But I didn't know them at this time. All I knew was that they sometimes called out stupid things when they were fighting, and that they each controlled an element. That's why I was shocked into not moving when the blanket suddenly split in half, with the old man flying through the center, hand closed except for his middle and index finger, which were straight in the air. I was so startled at how fast he moved, and trying to figure out how he had done that when he took advantage of his momentum to fly forward and tap me in the face.

Was it even a tap? I don't know what it was, but he hit me right in the center of my face. Some sort of pained noise burst out of me and I fell to the floor, eyes watering like I had just been punched, even though he had barely touched me.

"Your arrogance will not be tolerated here." The man was saying even as I clutched at my face. "Your belt will remain here, to be given back when you have earned it. For now, you will be assigned some chores to keep you occupied but also give you time to think about your current situation. You will act responsibly, and you will not disrespect anyone within the Temple while you are here."

I didn't say anything, embarrassed and ashamed at my watering eyes. And I was angry. How dare he hit me like that! I wanted to wipe my eyes, but then the Acolytes would think I was crying, which I wasn't. Instead, I settled for, "Bite me, grandpa. You can take your labour and shove it."

I wasn't sure whether to expect another blow, but I didn't receive one, which I was thankful for.

"Cappe has a list of chores for you. And Kalliklick had the list of rules here at the Temple. You will follow them both if you wish to ever regain your belt. And you _will_ behave."

I wiped a sleeve across my eyes and stood up, albeit somewhat crookedly.

The old man left. And I was left with the two apprentices, each holding a paper I hadn't noticed before.

Wispy strands of incense curled around above the cindering wooden sticks, seeming to form pictures and symbols if one stared at it long enough.

But the incense sticks were not there for visual amusement; they were there to produce the calming effect their herbal scents released. A circle of monks surrounded the hollow pillar. The monks all had their eyes closed, and their hands were gently pressed together, as if they were praying. They all sat in the lotus position, meditating as the smoky strands of incense curled around.

Master Yushi-Seck walked in with barely a whisper of his passing robes and assumed his position in a hole that had been left open in the circle. Perhaps it was coincidence, or perhaps it was due to his overwhelming seniority, but the hole that had been left for Master Yushi-Seck to fill was directly opposite the door he entered and positioned on top of the pinnacle of the floor designs, speaking of him- both by position and by presence- as the leader.

One of the monks to his side stirred even as Master Yushi-Seck assumed the lotus position and began his meditations. The monk glanced over, his pale blue eyes carefully observing the old monk. His own face was old and lined, but like most of the monks here, he had aged gracefully and with dignity.

A sinuous, twining body drifted out from behind Master Yushi-Seck and curled around his neck without touching the wizened monk, slowly pausing to mouth something in his ear. When the monk showed no reaction to whatever the creature- who happened to be the Guardian of the Temple- had said, the twining body continued to circle around Yushi-Seck before drifting over to one of the other monks.

"Master Foo-young, you seem easily distracted this day."

The monk looked over to Yushi-Seck and saw the old man regarding him with calculating eyes.

"My mind wanders in an undisciplined way as I try to grasp the meaning of the events that have passed." The monk bowed his head. "I apologize if my own thoughts distract you from your meditations."

"I am not so easily distracted from my meditations as that," Yushi-Seck said with an ironic smile. "Do not give me as little credit as that."

"I apologize for my assumptions, Master Yushi-Seck."

"Do not apologize for such things, Foo-Young. There is no need." The monk bowed his head for a moment, before regarding Foo-Young again in the same, calculating manner. "What thoughts trouble you, if I may inquire?"

"The child that has been contained here." Foo-Young dipped his head in an apologetic way. "Such confinement- especially for one so young, so accustomed to independence and self-reliance, must be a stressful and terrifying experience."

"His stress is a small price to pay for saving the world from the imminent destruction outlined in the chronicles, is it not?" Yushi-Seck pointed out. "The suffering of one is nothing when compared to the suffering of many."

"That is true, of course, but perhaps another way could have been pursued-"

"What other way, Master Foo-Young?" The old monk ask calmly. His expression did not change. "I have heard his insults and rude tongue wagging ever since he entered the Temple grounds. He is young and in need of discipline. Whether his parents did not properly raise him to respect others or whether this is a route he has chosen for himself out of spite, we shall not know. His response to the hand that feeds him is a quick and terrible bite, and he does not fear punishment, as he has never had to deal with that before. What other response would he give if one of our own Apprentices, who have been fighting against his ways to earn back the Artifacts, if they were to ask him to join us for the good of all? What response would he give if _you_ were to ask for his cooperation? The same quick and painful bite, I would imagine. This young man has been highlighted by the Ribbed Necklace. What that means is that he will eventually cause one thousand years of darkness, where everyone will suffer...or one thousand years of light, where everything will flourish. If the latter option is at the expense of his own comfort as his entire lifestyle is changed for the better, than so be it. Speak no more of such matters, Master Foo-Young, for your bleeding heart will do this matter no good. Your charges are the Dragons of the Elements, and it is your duty to train them. The duty of other Temple apprentices falls under the careful watch of the other monks, and they will help in the child's reeducation as they see fit. The rod has been spared long enough."

Master Yushi-Seck closed his eyes then, and Master Foo-Young was left to the silence of the meditating monks. He did not even realize that the Temple Guardian was entwined around his neck until he bowed his head and saw the feathered tail casually draped over his shoulder.

Foo-Young looked to his shoulder and saw the scaled face of Sarren-Du, mimicking the calculating look that Yushi-Seck had been delivering to Foo-Young throughout the entire monologue.

"What advice do I have for you?" The small dragon softly whispered into the monk's ear. "Hmm, here is something to accomplish: listen to Yushi-Seck for the time being, and grant him the disillusion of knowing his wishes will be fulfilled when he is no longer able to carry them out himself."

"What is your meaning?" Master Foo-Young meant to ask, but the dragon had unwrapped itself from his shoulders and sped away at a speed that would have made a charging cheetah jealous.

"What do you want, losers?" I snapped, not expecting an answer.

"Rude much?" The girl, Kalliklick, observed lightly.

"Destroying, ransacking, stealing and kidnapping much?" I shot back. "And here I thought I was supposed to be the bad guy."

"Master Yushi-Seck has been more'n enough patient with you, I imagine," The large one said in an accent that made him sound like a redneck who lived in a rotten wooden shack, playing a banjo. I snickered at the imagery. "It's time you started payin' some people the respect they should be rewarded for not losing their cool at your rudeness."

"Rudeness?" I snapped. "Want to talk about rude? What about destroying my home, Billy-bob? How's that for rude?"

"We kind of didn't have much of a choice," The girl spoke up, rolling her crystal blue eyes. "We needed to find you before anyone else could."

Not being able to think up a suitable response, I settled with, "Whatever," and looked at the split blanket, trying to figure out how the old man had moved so fast and how he had cut the sheet in two. I hadn't seen any knife.

"I have a list of your chores," The accented guy said. "Though I'm for doubting you'll be obliged to do any of 'em."

"You're doubting correctly," I said cheerfully. "Get out of my way."

They both moved aside, albeit with irritated expressions on their faces at being bossed around. I walked past, making another snatch for my belt as I passed the girl, but she seemed prepared and simply stepped backwards, out of my reach.

I walked out of the tower and was blinded by the sunshine. Good grief, that was harsh. I hated mornings; nighttime was so much better. My schedule in the mornings was to simply stay in my lair and plan out new constructs, or traps that would better help either the defense of my castle (which I decided to focus on primarily when I got back).

I stretched out my wings, cramped from the close quarters of my cell and closed my eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of the sun on my wings.

"So," I said, after a moment. I turned around and was a little taken aback to find that both of the Acolytes were watching me curiously, almost with fascination. Angry at being examined like a bug under a microscope, I spoke up. _"SO_," I said louder. "What stupid game do I have to play to get my belt back?"

The Acolytes looked at each other. An expression of...something...passed between them, and I was at a loss to interpret it.

"Behave," the accented one finally said. "Be respectful to everyone around you, follow the rules of the Temple, and try and better yerself."

I looked from Acolyte to Acolyte. Something went unsaid between them, something that I didn't know. Something that, for whatever reason, they weren't telling me.

I turned away, and looked at the sky. That had been my freedom before. Now, feeling uncomfortably light after my belt had been taken away, I was at a loss. Did I leave? Leave for what? Once I got back, there would be a lot of cleaning to do, and that was almost useless without my magic. Magic I had which couldn't be accessed without my focus stones. And all my constructs were probably ripped apart by now. Which meant that there was a lot of heavy physical labour to be done, and the only one available to do it would be...me.

Me? Physical labour? I scoffed. Not in the same sentence, unless there was a negative connotation attached. My stomach grumbled, and I looked back at the Acolytes, who were waiting patiently. "Do you have anything to eat around here that would feed something a little bigger than a bird?"

"As long as you're willing to eat it instead of tossing it around the room like a slobbering dog," the girl said, crossing her arms.

"Maybe if I was given something a little more edible, you wouldn't have to worry about me tossing it aside. What's with all the grass, anyways? I'm not a cow or a rabbit, so I don't need any of that."

"That's our staple here at the Temple," the cowboy-wannabe said. "Lots of fiber, protein, and a tall glass of milk to wash it down."

"Whatever. Where's your fridge? Never mind, I'll find it." I started walking in a random direction, glancing over the buildings as I did so. The one over there was where King Tusk had all the Artifacts hidden, so an eating area or food storage spot that would have people coming and going all the time would be inconvenient to the security of the place. But all the other buildings- they all looked the same. Which one would have food?

I picked one randomly and began walking towards it. Finding a door, I smirked and began to shove it open.

"I wouldn't do that, partner-"

"If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it." I snapped, kicking the door the rest of the way open. I had barely gotten it open when a blurry object whirled at me and hit me straight in the chest.

"Oof!" I said as I was knocked to the ground. I scrambled a little, and I could tell the other person was doing the same, as we struggled to get away from each other and stand up. "Wanna watch where you're going, loser?"

The teenager brushed himself off and scowled at me. "Eww, its you. How about you pay attention to where you're going, goggle-brain? I was in the middle of something."

"Raphielle, why are you not fighting?" Came a voice from inside. I was too busy glaring at my attacker- and he was returning the glare equally- to watch the approach of one of the Acolytes.

"He's still fightin', just not with you anymore." Cappe answered.

"It wasn't _my _fault- I was just going to rebound off the door when Spicer here decided to kick it open."

"Maybe its time you started paying attention to what you're bouncing off of." I returned peevishly. "I'm not a trapeze, in case you haven't noticed."

"Well, with all your fancy-smancy magic, maybe you can turn yourself into one!"

"Numbskull!"

"Metalhead!"

"Boxer-brains!"

"Hunchback!"

"Whoah there, partners!" The buff teenager said, pushing his way between the two of us and shoving us apart to arm's length. "Cool yer tempers! We don't need snakes hissin' at each other on a day like this- territory's big enough for all of us! Now, Jack, I tried to warn ya, but you ignored me. Don't charge ahead like a bull with his knickers tied and you won't have to worry about gettin' inta accidents like this."

"With my _what_ tied!"

"And Raphielle, settle down! Name callin's for children, and we're all a little older than that, huh? Now, let's try and get along a little better for the future."

"He was calling names too!"

"Whatever." I said, flipping a hand at them dismissively. "I'll just look somewhere else."

I had barely walked a step before tripping over the Acolyte who had been standing right behind me.

"Watch where you're going, Cueball!"

"See?" I heard Raphielle say accusingly.

"I apologize for my tripping, Jack Spicer." The tiny monk said, jumping up and offering me a hand. I swatted it away and got up by myself. "I was just hoping to wish you good hospitality in staying here, and express my happiness that you have finally decided to join with us. Congratulations on making the right choice!"

"I'm only staying here long enough to get my belt back," I said. "Then I'm leaving."

"Leaving? But why?" The little monk ran to keep up with my pace, looking up with huge eyes. "You could stay here and learn all sorts of things so that you can help us protect the Artifacts from falling into the hands of evil!"

"Duh- I _am_ evil!"

"Well, yes, but being good is just as fun." The monk suddenly flipped over and began walking on his hands. "See? I can teach you to walk on your fingers! Have you ever done that before?"

"Do I ever want to do that?" I said, rolling my eyes. I suddenly stopped. "Why are you following me?" I turned around, but the other two were gone.

"I wish to teach you many things!" The monk said. He gave me a big smile, then suddenly ran behind my back. I was about to continue walking when I felt someone grab one of my wings.

"Hey!" I shouted, snapping my wings open. The monk was clinging onto one of them, touching it carefully. I scowled and grabbed the back of his pajama-thing (whatever these monks wore), and dropped him on the ground in front of me.

"Do you have a problem with personal space?" I shouted before stomping away.

"Did they hurt?"

"Huh?" I looked down to see him keeping pace with me. "What?"

"Your wings. Did it hurt when the Artifact implanted itself into your back? That must have been mooooost painful indeed!"

"It didn't hurt," I lied, waving him away. "Why don't you go beat someone up? Like Raphielle, for instance. I'll bring popcorn."

"Popcorn? Is that similar to corn?"

I rolled my eyes and looked upwards, wondering why it had to be me. "Hey, cueball why don't you make yourself useful and show me to the nearest food."

"Of course! Was food not left for you?"

"Not anything edible," I answered, following him. "Do you have any Tacos? Or how about a hamburger? I would love a hamburger and fries."

On top of one of the buildings, keeping careful watch, Cappe and Kalliklick sat. Cappe was whittling a piece of wood down to the shape of a cow, but although Kalliklick had her PDA in her hand, it was unused.

"Do you think he'll stay?" Cappe said, slicing a long chip off to form the curving gut of the mammal.

Kalliklick shook her head. "He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be forced to stay here when he doesn't want to. Not to mention he's an inconsiderate jerk with too much eye liner." She sighed, and sat down next to Cappe. "Do you think the prophecy is true?"

"Why should I have any reason to doubt it?" Cappe asked, shrugging. "Its written by a man who predicted a lot of the things that 'ave already happened, years after he wrote it down."

"But he also said Wuya would win against Dashi and one thousand years of darkness would reign," Kalliklick pointed out. "He was wrong then. What if he was wrong again?"

Cappe considered this. "If you were told you were going to fail a test, would you give up?"

Kalliklick blinked. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Humour me, Kalliklick. What would you do if someone were to tell you you were going to fail an exam, and have to redo the year as the result?"

"I would study harder," she answered. "And I would ace it."

"A little psychology involved there," Cappe chuckled. "What if the Seer did the same thing? Said that darkness would reign, no matter what, and caused Dashi to fight all the harder, knowing it was all or nothin'? After all, if he said that Dashi would win, he might have made the man overconfident and accidentally caused him ta fail."

Kalliklick considered this reasoning. "It makes sense. But he didn't chronicle the world ending if Jack didn't join with us; he gave two options. Darkness, or light."

"A little bit obscure, if ye ask me," Cappe agreed. "But I dunno what the Seer was thinkin'. I imagine he phrased it that way so that things would work out- but who knows? All I can say is this: I hope that Master Yushi-Seck made the right choice in having us find 'im and bring 'im 'ere."


	3. Chapter 3: Foiled

Yoooo! I'm baaack! dies If anyone is still reading this, that is! Anywho, I'll reply to some of the people who were nice enough to leave a comment for me. However, I can't remember if I already replied to anyone, so I shall reply to all! Artifacts: I will eventually refer to them by name, probably the same names (heh heh, the original names were quite awesome). Cappe Clay, 'tis true, but my lack of originality stagnented my senses all throughout the writing, so Omi Omi. I mean...coughs The names that have remained the same have some bearing of significance on the rest of the story, so obviously the use of Omi's true name for the purposes of this fiction is quite significant and will impact the story later in the future. dies Bwa ha! Enjoy! (And thank you again to all who commented)

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"Rice. Rice. Rice. Raw meat- ewww, I touched it!"

"Do you not like meat?"

I lugged a huge bag and threw it at the intruding monk, hoping to squish him. He stepped aside and looked at the rice curiously, then back at me.

"Darn," I joked. "I missed."

"Missed what?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Baldie had shown me the food stores, but there was nothing appetizing in here.

"I like meat, just not when its big and squishy like this," I answered, kicking at a random bag of something-or-other. "I thought you said there was something good to eat in here!"

"Everything is good to eat in here." The monk motioned. "Oooo, look! This is the garlic and cheese bread which we eat at the beginning of every month!"

"Garlic and cheese _bread?_ Ew." I crossed my arms, and sighed dramatically. "All right, so I'm going on a record for missing any sort of sustenance for more than 24 hours. Seeing as there's nothing to eat, I don't have anything productive to do- as in building more Constructs and developing that new line of non-foggable goggles I had been working on, I guess I have nothing else to do but sit around and vegetate." I stood there for a moment, looking around, then groaned. "Fine, whatever. Lemme see the chores we're supposed to do."

The monk-in-training pulled a piece of rolled-up paper from out of his sleeve, and opened it with a flourish. "I knew you would come around!"

The chores I was enlisted to do weren't...that bad, I supposed. Coming from a family that was quite rich, my parents were quite strict about getting servants and maids to do the cleaning and chores for them, because they couldn't be bothered. Or, to term it in their way, they were 'too busy' putting food on the table to worry about needing to clean the house, too.

After I had done about maybe two chores, I decided to take a break. My break consisted of me, sitting underneath a giant tree's shade with my hands laced behind my head and my wings flapping up and down in slow motion to help stretch them. In order to do the chores, I needed to have my wings folded tight against my body so that they wouldn't knock anything over. Not that I really cared about _their_ material possessions, especially after they showed so little regard for _mine_, but I was trying to be 'good'. If I was 'good', then I would get my belt back. Once my belt was returned, than everything would fall into place; rebuilding my castle, recreating my Constructs, and updating my traps into a more dangerous kind. I was trying to work out the intricacies in my mind when I heard the voice.

"Resting already? Sitting there does not help your chores, young one."

I opened an eye, than opened the other. A bald man with crystal blue eyes was standing before me, watching me with an almost amused expression on his face.

"What's it to you?" I said lazily, closing my eyes. "I've already done work. I deserve a rest."

"Perhaps you do. But perhaps you also need to be hinted to the fact that Master Yushi-Seck is waiting for you."

"For me?" I frowned, but kept my eyes closed. "Why? I did his chores."

"His interest in you at this time is not for chores, but for training. He is overlooking the training grounds, if you decide for yourself the benefits of training outweigh the benefits of being...disobediant."

I opened my eyes to watch him leave, but my frown remained in its place. Benefits of training? Right, because I wanted to get all gross and sweaty like those pajama-toting Acolytes, right?

I closed my eyes and relaxed, then tried to bring the schematics of my new trap back into my mind. Now, I _had_ a weight-sensitive pressure plate before, but the continuing problem with that particular trigger was that the monks either jumped over it or simply walked so lightly that the change in mass didn't register. However, if I decided to change it to heat-sensitive- but no, that wouldn't work either, because my constructs- made from metal and stone- created friction from their joints that started at a cool level but rose to higher temperatures with continued use, which meant that I would have to continually reset the traps because they would be continually setting them off...

I rolled over, all thoughts of the training session gone from my mind.

I must have fallen asleep under the tree. When I woke up from my light nap, I was a little struck by what time it was. Looking around, and judging from my rumbling stomach, I gathered it must have been around lunch time. That meant...36 hours without any food.

I groaned, and rolled over, onto my belly. "I need some sort of food...I don't care if I have to eat the grass they serve, I need food..."

It turns out my awakening couldn't have been any better. Looking up, I saw all four Acolytes headed towards a building.

"Going for lunch?" I thought, following them with my eyes as I stood up. After noting what building they had gone through, I stretched, and followed lazily. It was strange to walk; I was used to having a heavier step because of my belt. Although I was slowly adjusting to being a great deal lighter- by about thirty pounds, approximately- that only caused me to groan. When I finally did get my belt back, it would feel like I was wrapping a lead weight around my waist. Maybe I should start lifting heavy things, just so I could remain accustomed to the weight- otherwise, when the time presented itself, I might be too weak to get away. Or maybe not; with the belt back under my control, I could simply use my magic to grant me temporary strength, and that should be enough. And less conspicuous; if they saw me lifting weights, they would know something was underfoot.

I looked up in time to see the temple doors looming over me. As I moved to push them open, two spears crossed in front of my path. I jumped, startled, then scowled. Two monks, whom I hadn't noticed before, stood guard on either side of the doorway.

"You may not enter at this time," one of the monks said.

"Why not?" I demanded. "I saw everyone else going in there!"

"They have been summoned," the other guard intoned. "You have not."

"And neither have you, by the looks of things." I snapped. I turned on my heel and began to stomp away when I saw another monk approaching. He was the one with the pale blue eyes.

"Good afternoon, Jack Spicer." he said, nodding to me as he passed. "Did you have an enjoyable nap?"

"As enjoyable as it can get in here," I said, somewhat sulkily.

"You did not go to your training session with Master Yushi-Seck." he paused, then turned to look at me. "He was displeased at your absence."

"He can file that under 'P', for personal Problems." I continued to walk away, then froze. The monk continued on his way into the building; two guards blocked my entrance. But a great deal of other Acolytes had entered the building. The Temple grounds were almost deserted; I was alone. Unguarded and unwatched.

I looked at the building behind me again. That was where the Artifacts were contained, so there was no hope in even entering the room where they had been kept. However, to get away, I didn't need to. I had no idea where my belt was, but suddenly, I didn't care. I could always awaken more stones and attune them to my blood; the ones I had were better, but I could always gather more like them.

I walked, trying to appear casual, to the side, so that I was out of the line of sight of the guards. I kept walking, forcing a yawn now and then and angling myself for the shade of a large tree that grew across a grassy clearing. Halfway across, I suddenly spread my wings and leapt into the air, flapping as though the world were exploding behind me and the only way to live was straight upwards. Ten feet, twenty, thirty, upwards I kept flying until my shoulders began to burn from the strain and my lungs were heaving. And then I caught a pocket of hot air and I shot upwards like a rocket, skyborn, more than a hundred feet without having to move a single wing. I looked down and saw the Temple grounds so far below me that the buildings were smaller than my finger nails.

"Going somewhere, Spicer?"

My eyes widened and I looked back and forth for the speaker until I found him, floating on a tiny whirlwind of clouds, completely relaxed and drinking from a glass that had a tiny umbrella in it. "Raphielle?"

The Temple brat took another drink from the straw, then smirked at me. With a wink, he said, "Everyone looks so far away from way up here, huh? Like ants. You could almost squish them in between your fingers." And here he lifted up a hand and, using two fingers, pretended to squish my head between them.

My back burned from the exertion of getting up here so fast, and all I could do was a lazy tilting of my wings to keep me balanced in the hot air column. Personally, I was flustered. What could I do? I was trying not to gasp for breath, and here a Temple Acolyte was at the same height as I was, completely relaxed and seemingly unconcerned over my escape attempt, as if he knew it was perfectly in his capabilities to stop me.

Suddenly, I felt a spark of anger. My feelings went up like so much dry tinder; immediately, I was furious. I suddenly pulled my wings close to my body and shot away, underneath him and to the left, ignoring the tiredness caused from not eating. And appearing right in front of me, without so much as a change in the winds, was Raphielle.

"Hi." Was all he said, and then he drew back his fist and punched me right in the face.

I made a sound, somewhere in the back of my throat, and covered my face with my hands. My balance suddenly gone, I flipped backwards several times before righting myself. My hands came away bloody; my lip was split.

"You know the funny thing about being a dragon of the Wind?" Raphielle asked, slowly circling me. "Wind is just moving air; so if there's air, there's wind. And the even funnier thing? You're surrounded by air."

My entire body suddenly stiffened and my wings collapsed against my back. I cried out as I felt the breath being crushed from my lungs, my arms bent against my sides, a suffocating _nothingness_ wrapping all around my body and encasing me. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, and my eyesight blurred and the first edges of unconsciousness flickered across my mind. I wanted to scream in agony, but I had no breath.

And then I was falling, end over end, tumbling through the air like a rag doll. My chest heaved for air and I fought to stay awake, to move my wings, anything. But everything had frozen. Somewhere far below, I thought I heard someone scream something about water, and then I felt myself fall into the lake- except the lake was on the other side of the grounds, wasn't it-?

And then I was laying on the ground. My heart pounded in my ears, deafening any other sound. I wanted to move, but my entire body was in agony. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't-

Voices.

"Trying to escape...too much force..."

"I used the same attack on Kalliklick and she didn't suffocate!" and "It's true, Master Foo-young, that attack barely phased me..."

"...was too weak to stand against..."

"...doesn't matter, he disobeyed the rule..."

"...why isn't he moving...?"

"...couldn't have possibly had that much of an effect on him..."

"...don't understand why he's not moving..."

"...too weak..."

And the last person triggered a memory of another voice. "What's the matter? You gonna cry now? Gonna bawl and ask for your mommy like a little wuss? Get up. I said, _get up!_ Are you glaring at me? You think you're such a hot shot, you simpering piece of sh-"

A hand on his shoulder. He screamed and the memory suddenly vanished, but the hand was still there. He slapped it away, fell over backwards as he tried to drag himself away. He stumbled to his feet and he was suddenly in the middle of a large, silent group of people, all staring at him. Raphielle looked worried, but the expression immediately banished from his face when I turned to stare at him.

"Geez, Spicer, we didn't know you were so weak." he smirked, then crossed his arms. "Good thing you landed on your head, or else you might have been hurt."

"Raph!" Kalliklick snapped, elbowing him in the side.

"Ow! What? You agree with me too!"

"Kalliklick, Omi, you are to take Jack Spicer to the healer's temple so that he may be examined." King Tusk stood there, hands clasped in front of him, examining me coldly as if I might be some sort of exotic prize who had stupidly injured itself. "Help him to walk."

I felt hands on my arms and I slapped them away. _"Don't touch me!"_

"Jack." I looked up, and saw the man with the blue eyes, staring disconcertingly at me as if he could see through my soul. "You are injured. Please go with my apprentices so that you can get better."

The hands fell on me again, but this time I didn't struggle as I was half dragged, half carried away from the spot.

Master Yushi-Seck stared after the red-headed boy until he was long out of sight. Then he turned, and his eyes found Raphielle.

"I swear, Master Yushi-Seck, I didn't hurt him on purpose!" Raphielle's eyes were full of sincerity, and now that Jack was away, he could fully express himself. "I practiced that attack on Kalliklick and Omi, and neither of them were hurt! The attack was just supposed to hold him while I lowered him to the ground-"

"Calm yourself, Raphielle." Master Yushi-Seck inclined his head, his eyes flickering back to the sky, as if he expected to see Jack still flying. "It was not your fault. Truly, none of us could have anticipated this."

Master Foo-young looked at him curiously. "Master...?"

"The Artifact in his back." Yushi-Seck turned back to them all. "The wings. They will have to be removed."

Cappe and Raphielle, along with Master Foo-young, all looked shocked. "That...would not only be a painful process, but it would partly destroy the Artifact. The Artifact will remain in its current state for the next century, unable to be used by anyone. Why not-"

"You miss my point entirely, Master Foo-young," The interruption came swiftly and absolutely, like a blade through a ribbon. "or else you purposely misconstrue our knowledge. The boy will not settle on his own; nor will he listen. His wings only give him hope that one day he can leave and everything will be as it was. We all know this cannot be true; it must not, if we are to invoke the lasting era of peace. If he leaves, a minion from the other side will surely manipulate him onto an evil path, and then all will be lost. The future of the world can be written with the price being his discomfort; I have told you this, and yet you seem to have forgotten so soon. Perhaps lengthening your meditation time will enable you to enhance your memory."

It was a stinging reprimand, and Cappe and Raphielle traded looks. Their Master was being chided by Yushi-Seck, and there was nothing that could be done about it. They tended to agree with their own Masters' judgments, but in this case, they were both at a loss for what to say, and what to do.

"We don't necessarily have ta remove the Artifact, do we?" They turned to Cappe, who tried to find a more agreeable solution. "I mean, if Jack's going to eventually aid the side of good, why don't we allow him to keep his wings? He's lost his home, his own Artifacts, and his magic belt- you said he wouldn't be able to weave magic. What's the difficulty of lettin' him keep this one thing?"

Yushi-Seck sighed. "I see your apprentices have learned more than just the martial and elemental skills. Very well; I will do nothing as of yet. But if he continues to be disagreeable between now and the time when a specific Artifact reveals itself, the Temple will use the newfound Artifact to remove his wings. Permanently."

Yushi-Seck turned to leave, and after glancing at Cappe with a mixture of resignation and thanks, Master Foo-young turned to follow.

Cappe and Raphielle stayed where they were for a long moment, and finally Raphielle broke the silence. "How...bad do you think Spicer is?"

"I think he'll heal." Cappe scratched his chin, and glanced at the healer's temple. "It's a good thing Omi was able to catch him with the water as he did, elsewise he might have hit the ground going pretty fast." He glanced at Raphielle, then shook his head. "Omi and Kalliklick have both been trained to deflect attacks. Maybe Jack just wasn't used to being attacked like that. Especially now that we've gained more powers and learned how to be all that more useful with our elements."

Raphielle seemed to agree with this, but said nothing. The Temple meeting hadn't been open to them; they were to be briefed in private, tonight by Foo-young, as to the contents of the meeting. But for now, there were chores to do, scrolls to read, and techniques to practice.

They left the area.


	4. Chapter 4: Memories

Wow, it's been long! I formatted my computer due to the incureable disease of slowness, and apparently the outline for this story was chewed up as well. (Insert "Argh" here). At any rate, I made this one up anyways, and I hope you enjoy. On a side note, a lot of my symbols don't appear- equal signs, asterisks, that kinda thing. If the story seems to lack proper spacing between events, it's the computers fault! (Points at computer) Thanks again for reading- I'm lucky, to be such a negligent author and have people who still read my stuff! If you guys want to see more of a particular character, tell me and I'll try my best. Enjoy!

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Memories.

Just a lot of memories. Jack groaned, turned slightly in his bed- but he didn't wake up.

_Memories._

He hated memories. When he was awake, he could remember. That's why he loved to sleep. But one couldn't sleep forever; you had to wake up sometime. So he would wake up. And he would keep his mind busy: weaving magic, designing constructs, perfecting traps and secret passageways and all sorts of things that would make scientists drool had they simply glanced in the general direction of his collection.

He kept his mind to the future. He kept his mind to the future because that way, it wouldn't dwell in the past.

"Momma?" His voice was soft, child-like. He loathed the very sound, but the image would replay whether or not he wanted it to. "Momma? Where are you? I can't find you."

Another voice. Not as high as his own, but gentle and sincere. Safe. The new voice contrasted with his frightened one. "I'm here, Jackie. Come here, sweetie- you can find me if you look hard enough."

He swallowed, and moved through the darkness. A sliver of moonlight came through the window, barely passing any light. But he saw it; a hand, thin and pale as the light that touched it, resting on the arm of a chair. He had his hands in front of him, stretched, afraid he would trip over something in the darkness. He walked towards the hand, because he knew that's where his mother was, that's where safety was. Safety from the darkness, and safety from even worse things- the things that moved in the darkness.

He saw something, from the corner of his eye. A sinuous movement, casual and haphazard. A shine of scales against the moonlight, purposely drawing his eyes. It looked over its shoulders, its glowing eyes freezing him.

"Momma-" he said, his voice choking. Something grabbed his arm, and he drew in a quick breath, almost screaming. Eyes that were red, not unlike his own, glowered down at him.

"Why the hell are you out of bed?"

Jack gasped and sat straight up. He was in a bed with white covers. He wings were cramped because he had twisted them in his sleep. Sometime during his sleep, his clothes had been replaced- he looked with distaste at his new clothes. Temple robes. He had been wearing what he considered to be the most comfortable goth clothes available, and now- he scowled. They were _white._ Not he'd look like a ghost with red hair, wandering around aimlessly. His wings, reacting from his shift in emotions from fear to anger, reflected his mood faithfully by changing shape.

Jack say a movement out of the corner of his eye. Something long, and sinuous-

He gasped, then clutched at his chest when he realized it was only the dragon that usually accompanied the elemental dragons on their quests to find the Artifacts.

"Geez, learn to knock, why don't ya!" He grabbed a pillow and flung it, but the dragon slicked from its path with a dizzying shift in posture. It looked at the pillow for a moment, then back at Jack.

"The doctor will be in to see you soon." Sarren-du said, moving in a snake-like fashion until he was standing in front of the teen. "To update you on your condition."

"What, the condition of being crushed?" I reached for another pillow, but it appeared I only had the one, and it was already thrown. "Remind me to thank Mr. Overzealous the next time I see him. I'll have a Construct up and waiting that'll twist his head off and squish it between his hands!" I slammed my hands together to illustrate the point, but the dragon wasn't looking at my hands- it was looking in my eyes.

"What did you guys do with my clothes, anyways? What's with the bathrobe?"

Sarren-du didn't answer. Something- an expression?- flickered over its face, and then it had snaked over the bed- including the part my legs were still on- and out the window.

"Blech," I said, moving to wipe the area clean as if the dragon had left an offending trail behind. I hadn't even reached the area when a man came into the room. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his head clean-shaved and his face holding a smile. I disliked him immediately.

"I'm glad to see you're awake," he said. "My name is Guandi. How are you feeling?"

"Like I fell about four-hundred feet." I said cheerfully. "By the way, where's my clothes?"

"You are wearing new clothes now," Guandi said, coming over. He made to touch my forehead but I slapped his hand away. "Don't worry about your old ones now."

"Yeah, whatever. Kidnap me, destroy my home, take my Artifacts, steal my belt, and now my clothes." I stood up, then brushed by the monk. "Wanna steal my hair, too? Maybe I'll be a shining example like everyone else around here."

(A little while later...)

The evening found me by the tree again. I stared at the sky sourly, a piece of grass stuck between my lips. My hands cushioned my head against the bark; my wings spread to either side, gently opening and closing and giving me a light breeze. Nighttime was so much better than daytime, I thought. It was easier to think at this time of day, to create. Not that I had any materials to create with, mind, but that was beside the point.

"Jack."

"King Tusk!" I exclaimed. "What a nice night to ignore you! Go away, now."

The monk stood next to me, within kicking range, though I decided not to try that at the moment. His eyes narrowed. "You did not come and practice with me today."

"Did you not hear the part about me ignoring you? Go away now. I've had enough pajama-men for one day."

"If you do not stop acting like the spoiled brat you were raised as, I will rip the Winged Wrist from your back."

My legs had been crossed at the knee, and one leg had been bobbing in tune with some music in my head. After those words, my leg stopped bobbing. I'm not sure what offended me most- the act that he caleld me a spoiled brat, which I certainly was not, or the fact that he threatened to take away the only Artifact they couldn't take away from me.

I glowered at him. "You can't take it out. It's impossible."

"Removing the Artifact from your back is as possible as teaching you manners," he said. "The dragons found an Artifact that returns all Artifacts to their former state, through the same process they entered that state. There is a way to remove the Winged Wrist from your back, and if the need arises, I will personally see to it."

I said nothing for a long moment. From everything I had thought, the Artifact in my back would remain the same after it had been removed for the next century. Now I was beign told it could not only be removed, but it could be turned back to its natural state for anyone else to use.

"I see you realize the implications." The monk nodded slowly, watching me carefully. "You will come and train with me, tomorrow, at six. If you do not appear, I will have one of the dragons drag you from your bed to the training grounds."

"When will I get my belt back?" I demanded just as he turned to leave.

"I asked you to follow the rules of the temple and the chores you were assigned. So far, you have done neither. At this rate, you will never get them back." He began to leave, but paused one more time to look at me. "If I have to remove the wings from your back, I will crush each of the stones on your belt. If you feel you are crippled now because you cannot leave, you will feel the pressure thrice as badly when I am through. You will be obediant, Jack Spicer, or you will be punished. It's as simple as that." He smiled, and I thought his smile looked as familiar as someone else's I had known, a long time ago. "Good night, Jack."

True to his word, I was woken up at exactly 5:30 the next morning. Bleary-eyed and stumbling, I managed to choke down the entire meal that had been left for me. It was porridge, but it tasted like a slimy paste. I didn't care; it had been almost three days without eating. I don't know how Ghandi did it.

One of the monks directed my shuffling towards what I assumed to be the training grounds. The apprentices were already there, training with the man with blue eyes. We passed them, and had I been more awake, I might have noticed Raphielle glancing conspicuously at me through his excercises.

It was the far corner where King Tusk stood, completely awake and watching me with a distached expression on his face. "I trust you have slept well," he said, looking me up and down. "I also trust that, if you go to bed sooner, you will wake up more refreshed."

I yawned in answer. He said more things, blah blah blah training blah warrior blah child of light and darkness, blah blah-

A bucket of ice and water was dumped over my head.

"WAH!" I shouted, my eyes flying open. The monk had an empty bucket in one hand, his other hand bent behind his back. "What the heck? What was that for?"

"For ignoring me and trying to sleep where you stood." The monk narrowed his eyes at me. "When I speak, you will listen. Now, assume a pose like this." He bent his knees and moved his arms into position, assuming a stance and waiting. I moved my arms a little, trying to mimic him, until I felt I was looking enough like Tusk Jr. to impress him.

The monk straightened. "Your posture is terrible," he said. "Who taught you?"

"You," I snickered. His eyes narrowed, and he approached.

"Bend your knees so that you are ready to move. Straight legs will only slow you down. Spread your feet so that you center of balance is lower- your opponents will find it more difficult to trip you. Keep one hand in front, to defend, and the other hand behind, to attack when the time is right. Tilt your head- never take your eyes from your opponent. Straighten your back- you will experience pains from standing like this. There." He stepped back, and nodded. "Better. Now, attack me."

I snorted, but held my stance. "Yeah, right! So you can reef me upside the head and tell me to do better? I'll stand here, thanks, and enjoy the rising sun if you don't mind."

"If you are able to land a finger on me, you are free to go."

That caught my attention. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"I have my honour, and monks of my faith do not lie. If you are able to lay a single finger on me- not my clothing, but my physical body- then you are free to go. This offer stands until the sun goes down this day."

I looked at the dawning sun. Twelve hours, give or take, to knock an old guy around? Twelve hours to simply touch him, and I was free to go? That was it- that was all?

I smirked. "Sure," I said. "I guess I can try."

I rushed at him, hopefully before he even had time to process the words. I jumped in the air, beating my wings once for a little leverage, and kicked- only to hit air. A hand closed around my ankle, and I was thrown to the ground.

"You expected me to hold still and let you hit me. Never expect anything of your opponent except for them to be better than you- that way, you will always be prepared for the unexpected."

I stood up, warily. I charged again, throwing a punch. The monk moved to the side and I tried a kick again, but this time I hit nothing and spun to the ground.

"Never hold your balance on the chance that you will hit your opponent. Should your opponent choose not to block the blow, you will be off-balanced, and ripe for the picking."

I scowled as I stood this time. I moved to one side, then changed my mind and began to move to the other. After a moment, I ran forward only again- only to have the monk move forward this time and trip me.

"The only unmoving target you will ever face is a practice dummy. Do not treat your opponents thus; in doing so, you will fail."

I stood up, rubbing my sore knees. I turned to look at the monk, and was surprised- he hadn't turned to face me. His back was towards me- could there be an easier target?

I walked forward, casually, in case he turned. As soon as I decided I was close enough, I lunged- and he simply leaned to one side. I teetered for a moment before his hand closed around my arm and he threw me forward.

"I already told you once not to depend on hitting your opponent to save your balance, Jack," he said as I hit the ground hard for the fourth time. This 'easy thing' was decidedly becoming more difficult. "Do not make me repeat myself again."

"You don't have to say anything!" I snapped. "Just shut up and don't move!" I charged him again, and punched. He ducked my blow, and pushed me aside. I caught my balance in the nick of time and whirled around with my leg- only to have the blow blocked. I jumped back before he could trip me, and tried punching with my other hand. This time, he caught my fist in his own hand.

"Never expect for your opponent to do what you want them to do." He twisted his hand suddenly, and I cried out as something cracked. "I asked you not to make me repeat myself.

I punched with my other hand, wildly and blindly, and he caught that one in his remaining hand. Both hands twisted and I fell to the ground, my arms on fire, my hands caught in his.

"You have tried five times and failed all five times. I see I have a great deal of training to do, from honourary ways of fighting to simple balance. Can you do nothing right?"

Someone else had said those words once. I cried out as he twisted my hands again. My eyes were tearing up, but I was fighting to keep the tears from falling. I hadn't been in this much pain in a long time.

"I asked you a question, Jack. You will answer when you are spoken to."

"Yes!" I shouted. "I can do all kinds of things right, just not fight- _now let me go!"_

"Master Yushi-Seck?"

My hands were released and I fell to the ground, clutching my injured hands to my chest. I cursed; they felt like they were broken, though I knew they weren't.

"You are disturbing my training session, master Foo-young. I do hope this is important enough to interrupt me."

"I apologize, Master Yushi-Seck, but this is important enough to warrant your attention. An Artifact has revealed itself. It is the sister Artifact to the Ribbed Necklace- the Spiny Headband."

"Go and collect it," Tusk snapped. "That is what your dragons are for, is it not?"

"I have already sent them," the monk said. "I am requesting you to send others to aid them- if someone else is able to capture the Spiny Headband and discover its function, Jack and this temple will be in danger, as well as the next thousand years. As long as we have them both, there will not be any immediate danger."

"Send others to follow your students," Tusk said. "And send them immediately."

"Of course, Master Yushi-Seck." The monk bowed, and as his head lowered, I saw his blue eyes flicker over to me. Just a slight movement- and then he turned and left.

I watched him go, then realized that Tusk was staring at me. A retort died on my lips; my arms hurt. Really bad.

"You know why he did that?" Yushi-Seck smiled at me. "He believed I was being too difficult on you. He has the authority to send as many men as he wants- he just came over to interrupt this session because he believed I was not being gentle enough. Foo-young can teach his students easily enough and without violence because they all have a drive to learn. You do not, and so there is only one course. Foo-young believes his ways are the best, and he refuses to see that he is, more often than not, wrong."

His eyes had taken on a dangerous glow. They were a strange colour, I realized- a brown that was more a dark golden colour. I hadn't noticed before, because they were usually narrowed, but now that they were wide and glaring, I was afforded a full view.

"One day, he will realize I was right." Tusk continued, watching me carefully. "Until then, we will continue to stick his nose where it doesn't belong." He stared to the side, where the apprentices had been training. "He is lucky. At least the ones he trains have _some_ sampling of talent in them, something that can be molded into a fine sword." His eyes came back to me. "I have a little nothing, who can't even keep from crying when his wrists are sprained."

I was startled. Sprained? We stared at each other for a long moment before he turned on his heel and stalked away. I stayed where I was, clutching my hands to my chest, until I was certain he was gone. My wings fanned the air; they had changed to reflect my confused mood, changing and molding from shape to shape.

I slowly stood up, tucking my wings close to my back. My hands needed to be fixed. That meant that I needed to find a doctor. And, unfortunately, the only doctor I knew around here was Guandi.

Holding my arms carefully, I walked back the way I had come.


End file.
